Laserfiche WebLink
<br />I" c; <br />,. ----~-,-.. <br /> <br />DIGEST OF PRELIMINARY <br />REPORT ON HUERFANORIVER <br />SUBMITTED TO COLORADO BY <br />CORPS OF ENGINEERS, U.S. ARMY' <br /> <br />The report herein summarized is that of the District Engineer, <br />Caddoa Distriot, U. S. Engineer Offioe, on Flood Control on the main stem <br />of the Huerfano River, Colorado. <br /> <br />Introductory to the report is the transmitting letter from the <br />Chief of Engineers to the Seoretary of War, and the report of the Board <br />of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. The letter of transmittal briefly <br />s\lDllTl!l.r1zes the report, and disoloses that a flood oontrol projeot for the <br />Huerfano River is riot feasible inasmuoh as the "ratio of benefits to oosts <br />is .45 to 1." The Board of Engineers oonours generally with the reportfng <br />offioers. <br /> <br />The report opens with a syllabus in whioh it is reoommended "that <br />the Congress of the United States authorize no strealjl improvements on the <br />Huerfano River, Colorado." <br /> <br />Paragraphs 1 and 2 show the authority for this report and name <br />prior reports for the basin. A good general desoription of the physioal <br />features, geology, olilIRte, eoonomio development, preoipitation and run- <br />off of the basin is given in paragraphs 3 through 18. Beginning with para- <br />graph 19, the balanoe of the report is oonoerned with floods l - their des- <br />oription, frequenoies, resulting damagesl desire for, plans of, and oost <br />of improvements, estimated benefits, oonolusions and reoommendations. <br /> <br />'Data in the report pertinent to the flood problems along the <br />Huerfano River are as follows: ' <br /> <br />(1) There are two seotions along the Huerfano River whioh are <br />subjeot to damages from floods. Both seotions are alluvial valleys. The <br />upper of the two lies between Badito and the head of a-rugged oanYon seo~ <br />tion, (Mile 99 down to Mile 72). The lower valley stretches from the <br />lower end of the oanyon (Mile 23) to the mouth of the rivet- (Mile 0). <br /> <br />(2) Population of the valley, aocording to the 1930 Cen8us, was <br />5,700. Principal towns and their populations are: Gardnell", 125, Tioga, <br />300,. and Del Carbon, 300. <br /> <br /><3t Agrioul tun and mining are the prinoipal industries. Min- <br />ing operations are not direotly affected by floods in the Hueri'ano. Both <br />dry land and irrigated f~rm lands lie in the flood plain of the river. <br /> <br />(4) One double traok railway bridge, two main highway bridges, <br />and several seoondary highway bridges orOss the river. J\ooording to the <br />report "no bridges would be afi'ectedby proposed improvements." <br /> <br />l. <br /> <br />-'~;;:. ..-~- <br /> <br />-~-- <br />